The Doll Factory star on true inspiration behind gothic period drama
"There's a treasure trove to draw upon."
Paramount+ series The Doll Factory, which is based on Elizabeth Macneal's novel of the same name, is a thriller set in London in the 1850s.
The narrative revolves around Iris Whittle (Esmé Creed-Miles), a young woman who paints porcelain dolls for a living alongside her sister Rose (Mirren Mack). But she detests her work and desperately wants to be taken seriously as an artist, which leads to an encounter with Louis Frost (George Webster).
He's a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group of young, radical artists who raise hell wherever they go, and after their paths cross, Iris finds herself in a world full of intrigue and danger.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com about the inspiration that the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood provided, Webster said: "I had very little knowledge beforehand and then you scratch beneath the surface and there's a treasure trove.
"There's this whole span of history that is so important for the art movement and for modern artists. There was an exhibition in Oxford of Pre-Raphaelite sketches just as I booked the role, so I visited that. There's so much there, of things to draw upon."
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He went on to talk about Louis, who is the "only fictional member of the PRB" in the show.
"The rest of them are based on real artists, which gave me more license to play," he said. "That was really handy."
Derry Girls actor Saoirse-Monica Jackson also stars as Bluebell, a sex worker who encounters Louis and his raucous band of brothers on more than one occasion.
She described The Doll Factory as a "completely" different project to any of her previous work, adding: "It's done in such a graphic way but it's also so light and so magical at the same time. It amalgamates those two things together beautifully. You can feel as much hope as you can danger, and you feel completely wrapped inside it.
"It feels very spooky yet cozy. I think it's the perfect festive watch, that period between Christmas and New Year."
Shadow and Bone's Freddy Carter, who plays a surgeon called Gideon, added: "It has all the hallmarks of a traditional Victoriana drama, but it's much more dark and twisted.
"And it's definitely looked at through a modern gaze. It's got a more current lens on it. I remember thinking that when I first read it. I was like I know these characters but I'm getting a whole different perspective on them."
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
